Insights for the Month of Leo

July 22Sun enters Leo: 11:16 AM EDTWhen you think of Leo, think of kings; especially the wounded kind. That’s just how it is for Leo these days. People in power do not seem inclined to offer themselves for the benefit of their so-called subjects. Rather they think mostly of how they can have more money, more power, more fame. In the story of Parsifal, the wounded king can only be healed by asking the right questions. It takes a knight of great nobility as well as real human experience to be wise enough to ask the right question. I’ll leave you to it. And, just to be clear – no matter who you are, man or woman, Leo is the sign of healing your wounded heart; shining the light of wisdom and love into the shadows and seeing what courage means to you. There will be both a lunar and a solar eclipse this month. Lots of astrological encouragement to shine this light of love where the shadows lurk.

July 23New Moon: 0 degrees Leo: 05:46 AM EDTThere will be two new moons in Leo in the next four weeks; one today and the other one, the solar eclipse on August 21st. If you’re looking for ‘once in a blue moon’ this would be it for astrologers. Like bookends these two new moons are meant to show us what we really love; about ourselves, others and life in general. It’s more than simply what makes us feel good. If intention is your thing at the new moon let today’s intention be to understand the difference between self-esteem and self-centeredness. It’s more important to be courageous in the face of your heart’s desire (despite the trauma or roadblocks) then to get people to love or notice you. It just is.

July 24Venus opposite Saturn
Mercury trine UranusThink back to April when Venus and Saturn were squaring each other almost the entire month. What did you want then that had too high a price or just wasn’t possible? Who do you need to engage with now that might help you, after all?Take the risk, say the thing that needs saying. Let the words come from your heart. Then they will hit the mark without causing damage.

July 25Mercury enters VirgoThere are so many things we don’t know about the workings of the mind and brain. And yet each and every one of us has a mind and a brain of our own. We know more than we think about how it works. And Virgo is so smart because, deep in the workings of this sign is the awareness that mind and body are not separate. Mind is most brilliant when thoughts arise from what the body is saying. Not just your body, but the body of the world. It’s about how things fit together, how they work.

July 26Sun conjunct MarsThere are all sorts of ways to see new beginnings in astrology. Each one sends a unique package of energies into the world. Mars: the warrior: Sun: The Sublime Ruler. Today they are conjunct in Leo, the Sun’s sign. Mars is a bossy planet, so is the Sun. The conjunction suggests a strengthening of Mars’ aggressive nature and desire to make force people and situations to do what it wants. But a conjunction with the Sun is also a revitalizing of that planet. We can be blinded by the light or infused with it. It may take until July of 2018 when these two heavenly players oppose each other, before we understand the actual issues. Today is a time to pay some attention to who and what you want to rule. Awareness matters even more than usual when Mars, the most reactive and destruction of planets, is indicated.

July 30Venus sextile UranusLook for the charmers, be they handlers with snakes in baskets or handsome, beautiful, charismatic people. There is a place for superficial glitz. I think. We certainly all love a bit of it from time to time.

July 31Venus enters CancerWhile Venus is in this sign is time to take care of what matters, lest it starve for lack of nourishment.

August 3Uranus stationery retrogradeWe live in a time when we are beginning to believe that each individual could and should benefit by what we can accomplish together. Some of that togetherness is virtual, some actual. Where are you along the spectrum of radical action that could change lives? There is a kind of tension in being a unique individual who is also necessary to the collective.

August 4Jupiter in Libra square Pluto in CapricornWe can finally say good-bye to this difficult combination of influences. We could say it began in November of 2016, but there was also a connection during the cardinal cross of 2014. Back then it was about refugees. It still is but now it’s also about justice. Themes are expressed at many levels and in many ways of course. Such is the nature of language and astrology is a language. Essentially Jupiter is about truth and Libra is about justice. Pluto is about power and Capricorn is about responsibility. Make yourself a sentence which includes these themes. Then apply it to your own life. You, too can learn to speak Astrologese.

August 07Full Moon: Lunar Eclipse: 15 degrees Aquarius 02:11 PM EDTWhat do you see that connects you to humanity? Who are the strangers? What can you do to prevent alienation? We cannot just open our hearts to the ones we decide are worthy of (our love). Not today. Today it’s about all of us.

August 10Mercury sextile Venus
Sun sextile JupiterIt’s possible to have needs but not be needy. All humans do. It’s a blessing when we respond to those needs from the heart because it’s just the right thing to do.

August 12Venus trine Neptune
Mercury stationery retrograde“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing – and keeping the unknown always beyond you.” Georgia O’KeefeAs we enter the Mercury retrograde season keep this in mind. We are beset with glamour, celebrity, the need to be recognized. But that’s passing fashion; a byproduct of culture. What truly calls for expression in your life?

August 13Sun trine SaturnThere is a major difference between the notions of righteous and self-righteous. The heart knows the difference. May s/he take the lead.

August 15Venus opposite PlutoWatch yourself reaching for the thing that you think you desire, the thing that will fill the emptiness inside. Before you reflexively grab for it, like a brass ring on a carousel, think about it: About hunger and satisfaction. This is how we transform compulsive behavior into consciousness. And each time we do it, we get a little stronger at nourishing what we really want to grow in us, rather than suppressing the fear that there will never be enough. Too much of never enough = greed.

August 17Venus square JupiterIf you just couldn’t get hold of yourself over the last few days, now is the time to see what fear and obsession cost. Sometimes it’s a traffic ticket, or an extra pound or two. Other times it’s broken relationships and bad feelings. The piper always gets paid.If you’re not deep into just desserts today might simply be a day for excessive something. It’s good to let off steam. Just wear your life jacket and observe the speed limit!

August 20Mars sextile JupiterSo many possibilities are in the air but at the waning of the moon we are often unambitious and passive. Tell them you’ll call later in the week.

August 21Solar eclipse: New Moon: 28 degrees Leo: 2:30 PM EDTNot only the second new moon of Leo but the eclipse astrologers have been obsessed with for a while now. The expectation is that powerful people who have misused their power will fall from their high perches. We can only hope. It won’t be pretty. To be courageous requires a big heart and the willingness to be humble (not humiliated). The best rulers serve the people. When this doesn’t happen the people have been known to protest. We really do live in interesting times.